Stark Contrast: Episode 10 “Mother’s Mercy”

Season 5 of Game of Thrones concludes with “Mother’s Mercy,” a crowded episode that delivers in some ways while squandering potential in others. In our discussion, J talks about how the television Game of Thrones universe seems to not only tolerate but reward evil. We then both commend and debate Cersei’s (Lena Headey/Rebecca Van Cleave) walk of shame. I also make a strange connection between Jaqen H’ghar (Tom Wlaschiha) and online dating by way of a famous GIF.

We conclude our podcast with a look back at the season as a whole, as well as the direction Game of Thrones has taken since Ned Stark still had a good head on his shoulders. Does the show still hold our attention the way it did back then? Have there been too many missteps on the part of the showrunners to deserve our loyalty?

We didn’t bother with a swear censor on this one (the swearing is part of a book quote in this case), so be warned that the podcast might be slightly NSFW. We also bring up subjects like sexual assault, so please be aware that those issues are touched on in our discussion.

~ Søren

As always, you can subscribe to Stark Contrast using iTunes or by copying this link into your RSS reader. Alternatively, you can check out the episode online or download it here. Happy listening!

What did you think of the finale? Did it satisfy your curiosities and worries about the show so far, or did it breed yet more confusion? And what do you think about Jon’s (Kit Harington) fate?

On a personal note, J and I would like to thank you for following along with us. It has been a pleasure discussing the show with all of you; we hope to see you again when we tackle Season 6! In the meantime, be sure to check out our other podcasts around Movie Fail.

And when the wait for more Dany, Jon and Tyrion gets tough, just remember: Winter is almost here.

About J Rosenfield

J writes reviews and other features for Movie Fail. She has been writing reviews and essays about film since 2010, most recently on her Medium blog since 2010. When she's not watching movies, she's listening to film-related podcasts.

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